A bureaucracy is an assembly of civil servants and state officials that is organised in a hierarchy or in departments. Bureaucracy plays a very important role in a political system with regard to the functions it is expected, atleast in theory, to execute. Carrying essential state responsibilities such as the implementation of law and policy, offering advice to lawmakers in a state and maintaining stability, a bureaucracy can be considered an actual government in many ways.
A government is responsible for making sure that all institutions under the state are operating smoothly. Today, while a government might be busy primarily in strengthning its control, a bureaucracy makes sure that all documents that are important for the running of the state machinery and for making important administrative decisions are readily available and thoroughly organised. This allows for improved decision making and running of the state.
Similarly, when on one hand a government, which is responsible for promoting equality is busy in achieving its self established goals not concerned with the betterment of the state, a bureaucracy is actually known for "discouraging favoritism". This means that individuals applying for something have to go through the same amount of paper work. In addition, a bureaucracy also makes sure that social benefits such as umemployment benefits, pensions, etc reach the desired individual at the time and amount.
In many other ways a bureaucracy fulfills the role of the government. It covers responsibilities which are primarily entitled for the government to implement.
Now as bureaucracy fulfills the role of the government, the decisions are mainly made by them too. Then where does the role of government go? The representatives of the people are supposed to make policies in the dire interest of their people but those policies are being made by bureaucrats who do not represent the people hence do not know the needs of the polity.
ReplyDeleteHence the role of bureaucrats should be confined to policy advising and a clear distinction should be made between the responsibilities of the politicians and bureaucrats.